ISSN:
0020-7608
Keywords:
intramolecular H bonds
;
gas-phase stability
;
continuum solvent
;
solvation free energy
;
point charge model
;
Chemistry
;
Theoretical, Physical and Computational Chemistry
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
Notes:
The conformational properties of bilirubin present a considerable interest from the medical and biological points of view, because of the toxic pigment peculiar solubility features. Therefore, ab initio geometry optimizations at the 3-21G/SCF level were carried out on a few model-built structures of bilirubin, after substituting the methyl groups on the heteroaromatic rings with H atoms. The structures obtained show a varied network of H bonds, ranging from 0 to 6 H bonds for the lowest-energy conformer in vacuo. This conformer assumes a “ridge-tile” shape previously found in both MM/MD simulations [D. A. Lightner et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 114, 10123 (1992)] and semiempirical calculations [W. H. Shelver et al., Int. J. Quantum Chem. 44, 141 (1992)], but at the ab initio level, its computed H-bond geometrical parameters are fairly consistent with the X-ray observed ones. The relative stability of all the structures is compared in vacuo and in aqueous solution using the polarizable continuum model (PCM) of the solvent, whose stabilizing effect, however, is not sufficient to fill the large energy gap between the less lipophilic conformers and the most stable one in vacuo, in agreement with previous CD measurements. The energetic cost imposed to the solvent effect by each intramolecular H bond is almost constant if the other structural features do not change appreciably. The trend of the purely electrostatic results obtained employing a partial charge model of bilirubin is analogous to that produced by its polarized ab initio charge distribution. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 70: 395-405, 1998
Additional Material:
5 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
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